Sela Alo's Fundraising Page

Hiii… Let’s cut to the chase and get straight into this. I’ve tried to do the right things by my body by eating properly and exercising. While it’s helped me get this far, I also know that heart disease doesn’t discriminate.

I was born with an abnormal heart `condition` called Atrial Fibrillation. It’s an irregular heartbeat and while it’s described as asymptomatic (the body doesn’t show or produce signs of the disease) I’ve read that those who have it are sevens times more likely to suffer from a stroke. Surprise, surprise, three years ago live on the breakfast show I suffered a mild stroke. I started spinning out, couldn’t talk, broke out in a cold sweat, turned the mic off and went off air, spending a day in hospital.

I was first diagnosed with it in my teens and as I got older my check-ups became more frequent, like three or four times a year. I’ve been on medication for the past few years. Warfarin thins my blood so I don’t get blood clots, the major cause for strokes, and Beta Block tablets slow down my heart rate.

What made my situation worse was that I also had a valvular heart disease called Mitral Regurgitation, where one valve doesn’t close properly so when the heart pumps out blood, it leaks blood back (regurgitates) from the left ventricle back into the atrium.

The valve had deteriorated quickly during the past year, that my surgeon told me that if they didn't go in soon, I'd be dead in 5 years - ok then, choice made and I ended up having heart surgery in late January..

Recovery was a journey and story in itself, I'm not quite at the fitness standards I was pre surgery but I'm a hell of a lot better than I was in Feb, Mar, April or even May, so you can probably appreciate my eagerness to get started with Beatcamp!

6 months post surgery and the message is still very clear in my mind how important it is to do what I can to tell people to look after their heart through healthy lifestyle choices. I want to thank the Heart Foundation and BeatCamp for allowing me to spread the word!

So, help me as I join the race to beat heart disease.

I've signed up as a Heart Racer to raise money to support the Heart Foundation. By donating through my webpage you will be helping the Heart Foundation continue its vital work in research, cardiac rehabilitation, education programmes and resources.

I'll do all the hard work (train for and complete the event), but I really need you to make a difference to the hearts of New Zealanders.

So, please could you sponsor me?

Select the "Make a donation" button below. It's simple, fast and totally secure and the money goes directly to the Heart Foundation's bank account.

If you live in New Zealand your donation is tax deductible and a receipt will be issued.

So please help me today! And pass it on to your family and friends!

Many thanks for your support